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Kara Young

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BIO

KARA YOUNG recently starred on Broadway as ‘Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins’ in Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch, for which she won a 2024 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play. She had made history prior to her win, as her third consecutive Tony nomination makes her the first Black performer to be nominated three years in a row. Additionally, her performance in Purlie Victorious has earned her an Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk Award and Drama League nomination. Young was most recently seen starring in MCC Theater’s Table 17. In 2022, she made her Broadway debut in Lynn Nottage’s Clyde’s, for which she earned a Theatre World Award and her first Tony nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play. In 2023, she was Tony nominated for her work in Cost of Living and won an Obie Award for her performance in the Classical Theatre of Harlem’s production of Twelfth Night. Kara can next be seen starring in the feature film Is God Is. She can also be seen in Boots Riley’s I’m a Virgo for Prime Video, which earned her an Indie Spirit Nomination for Best Breakthrough Performance. She appeared in HBO Max’s “The Staircase” as well as Netflix’s “The Punisher” and starred in the winning Sundance Short, Hair Wolf. Kara also starred in MCC Theater’s All The Natalie Portmans, for which she received a Lucille Lortel Award Nomination. Her other stage credits include Halfway Bitches Go Straight To Heaven, New Englanders, Revolving Cycles Truly and Steadily Roll’d and Pretty Hunger.

Photos

STAGE CREDITS

Purpose Purpose
[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 2025
Performer
Table 17 Table 17
[Off-Broadway]
MCC Theatre Off-Broadway Premiere Production, 2024
Jada
Purlie Victorious Purlie Victorious
[Broadway]
Broadway Revival Production, 2023
Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins
Cost of Living Cost of Living
[Broadway]
Manhattan Theatre Club Original Broadway Production, 2022
Jess
Clyde's Clyde's
[Broadway]
2021
Performer
All the Natalie Portmans All the Natalie Portmans
[Off-Broadway]
MCC Theater's Off-Broadway World Premiere, 2020
Cast
Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven
[Off-Broadway]
Atlantic Theatre's Off-Broadway World Premiere, 2019
Cast
The New Englanders The New Englanders
[Off-Broadway]
Manhattan Theatre Club Off-Broadway World Premiere, 2019
Performer
The Revolving Cycles Truly and Steadily Roll'd
[Off-Broadway]
World Premier Production, 2018
Karma

Movies

Lunatics Lovers & Actors
[ 2009 ] Leticia
Saving Julian
[ 2012 ] Kara
Cybornetics
[ 2012 ] Lisa
Cybornetics: Urban Cyborg
[ 2013 ] Lisa
Fishbowl
[ 2015 ] Audition Monitor
Bruce!!!!
[ 2017 ] DJ Love Jones
Meat Puppet: The Filmed Experience
[ 2017 ] Harley Patrón
King of Knives
[ 2020 ] Darla
Materna
[ 2020 ] Kara
Chemical Hearts
[ 2020 ] LolaLaHaynes
Blow Up My Life
[ 2022 ] Charlie August
Master
[ 2022 ] Scha
We Strangers
[ 2024 ] Mari Winters

TV Shows

Great Performances
Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins

Awards and Nominations

Drama Desk Awards - 2024 - Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play

Kara Young, Purlie Victorious

Drama League Awards - 2024 - Distinguished Performance

Kara Young, Purlie Victorious


winner
Outer Critics Circle Awards - 2024 - Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Play

Kara Young, Purlie Victorious


winner
Tony Awards - 2024 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Kara Young, Purlie Victorious

Drama Desk Awards - 2023 - Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play

Kara Young, Cost of Living

Drama Desk Awards - 2023 - Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play

Kara YoungTwelfth Night

Tony Awards - 2023 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Kara Young, Cost of Living


winner
Obie Awards - 2022 - Performance Award

Kara YoungTwelfth Night


winner
Theatre World Awards - 2022 - Theatre World Awards

Kara Young, Clyde's

Tony Awards - 2022 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Kara Young, Clyde's

Videos

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News


Photos: The Museum of Broadway Celebrates Black Storytellers of Broadway in New Exhib Photo
Photos: The Museum of Broadway Celebrates Black Storytellers of Broadway in New Exhibit
by Stephi Wild - Feb 4, 2025

The Museum Of Broadway recently celebrated its new special exhibit, Crafting Excellence: Black Storytellers of Broadway. Check out photos from the event here!
Photos: PURPOSE Broadway Cast Behind the Scenes Look Photo
Photos: PURPOSE Broadway Cast Behind the Scenes Look
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Feb 3, 2025

You can now get a behind-the-scenes look of the Broadway cast of PURPOSE, written by Tony Award-Winner Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, and directed by Two-Time Tony Award-Winner Phylicia Rashad. Get a first look at the cast here.
Video: Meet the Company of PURPOSE on Broadway Photo
Video: Meet the Company of PURPOSE on Broadway
by Joey Mervis - Jan 28, 2025

In just a few weeks, previews will begin on Broadway for Tony Award-winner Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ new play, PURPOSE, directed by Two-time Tony Award-winner Phylicia Rashad. Watch in this video as Jacobs-Jenkins and the whole cast chats more about what audiences can expect.
Original Broadway Cast of AIN'T NO MO' To Reunite For Apollo Theater Staged Reading Photo
Original Broadway Cast of AIN'T NO MO' To Reunite For Apollo Theater Staged Reading
by A.A. Cristi - Jan 16, 2025

The Apollo will present a free staged reading of the six-time Tony Award-nominated play Ain't No Mo' performed by the original Broadway cast on Monday, January 20 at the new Apollo Stages at The Victoria Theater.
¿Works & Process to Present PURPOSE By Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Directed By Phylicia Photo
¿Works & Process to Present PURPOSE By Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Directed By Phylicia Rashad
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jan 7, 2025

Works & Process at the Guggenheim will present Purpose by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, directed by Phylicia Rashad. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets.
Mindi Dickstein and Carmel Dean's New Musical MAIDEN VOYAGE Will Have Workshop at The Photo
Mindi Dickstein and Carmel Dean's New Musical MAIDEN VOYAGE Will Have Workshop at The Kiln Theatre
by Stephi Wild - Jan 7, 2025

 New Works Provincetown and Shared Experience will present a workshop in London of the new musical Maiden Voyage with book and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein and Carmel Dean.
Wake Up With BroadwayWorld December 10, 2024 Photo
Wake Up With BroadwayWorld December 10, 2024
by - Dec 10, 2024

Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is December 10, 2024 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.
LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Harry Lennix, Kara Young & More Will Star in PURPOSE on B Photo
LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Harry Lennix, Kara Young & More Will Star in PURPOSE on Broadway
by Nicole Rosky - Dec 9, 2024

Complete casting has been announced for the highly-anticipated Broadway transfer of Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s production of Tony Award-winner Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ new play, PURPOSE. Check out who has joined the cast!
New Play HOP THA A To Have Industry Reading In This Month Photo
New Play HOP THA A To Have Industry Reading In This Month
by A.A. Cristi - Dec 7, 2024

SPARK Theatricals has announced an exclusive industry presentation of hop ThA A, a new play by James Anthony Tyler.
The Classical Theatre Of Harlem Unveils 2025 Season Featuring MEMNON NY Premiere & Mo Photo
The Classical Theatre Of Harlem Unveils 2025 Season Featuring MEMNON NY Premiere & More
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Dec 4, 2024

The Classical Theatre of Harlem has revealed its 2025 season. The upcoming season will feature a thrilling array of performances, including the beloved Holiday Concert Series and much more. See full programming and learn how to purchase tickets.
Brandon Victor Dixon & Kara Young to Join The Classical Theatre of Harlem's HARLEM HO Photo
Brandon Victor Dixon & Kara Young to Join The Classical Theatre of Harlem's HARLEM HOLIDAYS
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Nov 5, 2024

The Classical Theatre of Harlem will present the award-winning Brandon Victor Dixon for Harlem Holidays, a festive holiday concert with an open bar at Red Rooster Harlem. Learn how to purchase tickets.
Kara Young to Star in Film Adaptation of Alesha Harris' IS GOD IS Play Photo
Kara Young to Star in Film Adaptation of Alesha Harris' IS GOD IS Play
by Josh Sharpe - Oct 31, 2024

Kara Young and Mallori Johnson are set to star as the main twin sisters in a new feature adaptation of Alesha Harris' award-winning play Is God Is. Sterling K. Brown, Vivica A. Fox and Janelle Monae have also been cast in the film, which Harris is adapting from her play.
REEFER MADNESS Comes to Theatre Tulsa Photo
REEFER MADNESS Comes to Theatre Tulsa
by Stephi Wild - Oct 16, 2024

Theatre Tulsa will present the high-flying musical comedy Reefer Madness as an add-on to its 102nd season. Inspired by the 1936 film of the same name, this satirical musical offers a tongue-in-cheek look at the hysteria surrounding marijuana in the 1930s, following clean-cut kids as they fall into a downward spiral filled with jazz music, sex, and violence.
Photos: Stars Walk the Red Carpet for Opening Night of YELLOW FACE Photo
Photos: Stars Walk the Red Carpet for Opening Night of YELLOW FACE
by Bruce Glikas - Oct 3, 2024

The stars aligned at the Todd Haimes Theatre to celebrate opening night of Roundabout Theatre Company's new production of Yellow Face by David Henry Hwang. BroadwayWorld was there to capture all of the stars and VIP guests.
Photos: Inside Black Theatre United's 2024 Gala Photo
Photos: Inside Black Theatre United's 2024 Gala
by Jonah Hale - Oct 2, 2024

Earlier this week, Black Theatre United celebrated its 2024 Gala, “Generations of Excellence.' Check out photos from the star-studded red carpet!
Photos/Video: 2024 BROADWAY FLEA MARKET Raises $1,421,675 Photo
Photos/Video: 2024 BROADWAY FLEA MARKET Raises $1,421,675
by A.A. Cristi - Sep 24, 2024

Thousands of Broadway fans, countless theatrical treasures and dozens of Broadway stars lit up New York City’s Theater District - and ushered in a record-breaking fundraising total - when the Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction returned Sunday, September 22, 2024. Check out photos and video from the event!
2024 Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction- A Full Guide Photo
2024 Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction- A Full Guide
by Sidney Paterra - Sep 22, 2024

It's just days until one of the most anticipated events of the season for theater lovers. The Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction is about to take over the Theatre District and we have all info you need to prepare yourself for the big day!
Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction to Take Place This Sunday Photo
Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction to Take Place This Sunday
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Sep 20, 2024

Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction will return for one day only this Sunday, September 22, 2024. More than 50 tables are set to sell stage-used props, memorabilia, posters and more. See how to attend!
Broadway Buying Guide: September 16, 2024- HAMILTON, CHICAGO & WICKED Are on Top Photo
Broadway Buying Guide: September 16, 2024- HAMILTON, CHICAGO & WICKED Are on Top
by Team BWW - Sep 16, 2024

Looking for the best deals on Broadway shows? Welcome to our new weekly guide to the most popular shows listed on BroadwayWorld. Check out which shows are selling this week, September 16, 2024.
Jordan Fisher, Alyssa Milano & More to Join Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction Auto Photo
Jordan Fisher, Alyssa Milano & More to Join Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction Autograph Table & Photo Booth
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Sep 13, 2024

Broadway stars are set to sign theatrical treasures and pose for photos with fans at the Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction in New York City’s Theater District on Sunday, September 22, 2024. Learn how to attend.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many Broadway shows has Kara Young been in?

Kara Young has appeared on Broadway in 4 shows.

How many West End shows has Kara Young been in?

Kara Young has not appeared in the West End.

What awards has Kara Young been nominated for?

Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Purlie Victorious, Distinguished Performance (Drama League Awards) for Purlie Victorious, Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Purlie Victorious, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Purlie Victorious, Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Cost of Living, Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Twelfth Night, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Cost of Living, Performance Award (Obie Awards) for Twelfth Night, Theatre World Awards (Theatre World Awards) for Clyde's and Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Clyde's.

What awards has Kara Young won?

Kara Young has won the following awards: Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Play at the Outer Critics Circle Awards for Purlie Victorious, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play at the Tony Awards for Purlie Victorious, a Performance Award at the Obie Awards for Twelfth Night, and the Theatre World Award for Clyde's.

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